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 grown wider. Mrs. Hill-Smith, who was really timid, felt frightened to death. Like Eleanor Baldwin, she had thought it the acme of elegance to have a dinner where every man present was a foreigner and a diplomat, and secretly regretted that, from motives of state, there always had to be Americans at a cabinet house. And here were the diplomats themselves laughing at her! It was exquisitely painful.

However, something more painful still was in store for Eleanor Baldwin. Mrs. Baldwin approached the group, and at sight of her Mr. Mulligan held out his hand, and a broad smile carried the corners of his mouth back to his ears.

"Why, Nora Hogan," he cried, "it's good for sore eyes to see you. I haven't seen you before for twenty-five years. Jim Baldwin didn't tell me, just now when I was talking with him, that you were here, and didn't introduce me to his daughter, though I gave him some pretty broad hints. Sure, you know Mike Mulligan, who was clerk in your father's store thirty years ago."

"Certainly I do, Mike," responded Mrs. Baldwin, calmly and sweetly and offering her hand. It was